I've seen this item dated anywhere from the 1920's to the 1940's. I have seen many ink blotters with this same image advertising different grocers, including one advertising my great grandfather's grocery store in Michigan. Ink blotters were used with fountain pens to absorb any excess ink. Ballpoint pens were introduced for sale around 1945 and were being widely used by the 1950's, so ink blotters disappeared.